Boll-weevil machine



April 14, 1925.

J. M. SANCHEZ- BOLL WEEVIL MACHINE Filed Aug. 19,- 1924- 2 Sheets-Sheetl W EEL 5 0 I gwuvrvfoz 5 Ky JJZ. Swrqfiaz 1 J. M. SANCHEZ 150m NEEVILMACHINE 7 Filed Aug. 19, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gnu wnloz JTM. Sawchaz'Patented Apr. 14!, 1.925.

iiivirsn STATES JOSE M. SANCHEZ, OF ZAPA'ILA, TEXAS.

BOLL-XVEEVIL IVIACHINE.

Application filed'Angust 19, 1924. Serial No. 732,956.

weevils and faulty cotton squares from growing plants in a simple andelheient manner.

. One of the important objects of the presentinvention is to provide aboll weevil machine of the above mentioned character, 1 which is adaptedto operate over three rows of growingplants, brushes being provided forengaging the plants and knocking the bell weevils and the faulty squarestherefrom, receptacles containing an insecticide being disposed belowthe brushes for receiving the boll-weevils and faulty squares removedfrom the plants completely destroymg the same, additional brushes beingprovided for engagement with the ground whereby the boll weevil andfaulty squares which have fallen thereon will also be moved to aposition whereby the same will be placed in the sun, and consequentlyexterminated.

A still further object of the invention is to "provide a boll weevilmachine of the above mentioned character, wherein means is provided foradjusting the several pairs of cooperating brushes with respect to eachother, means being further provided for ports the brush carrying 40raising or lowering the beam which supmembers and the pang A furtherobject of the invention is to provide a boll weevil machine of the above1 mentioned character, which is simple in con strnction, inexpensive,strong and durable and furthermore adapted for the purposes for which itis designated.

ther objects and advantages of this invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification and inwhich like numerals designate like parts throughout the same:

Flgure 1 is a top plan view of my improved boll weevil machine.

Fi ure 2 is side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 and Figure 4 is a front elevation of one of the units.

In the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown thepreferred ein bodiment of my invention, the numeral 1 designates thesupporting axle, the ends thereof terminating in the crank portions 2for supporting thereon the traction wheels 8. For the purpose of raisingand lowering the traction wheels with respect to the ground, I providethe adjusting lovers 4, the same being supported in the brackets 5, thelatter further supporting segmental racks 6. It is of course to beunderstood that each lever 4 is provided with a suitable pawl forcooperation with the respective segmental rack in holding the axle inthe various adjusted positions. The outer end of each of the levers 4 isconnected to a collar 7 which extends around the axle 1 adjacent therespective end thereof.

Hingedly supported on the axle 1 isthe longitudinally extending beam; 8.The hinge connections between the axle and the beam is illustrated at 9in the drawings with reference more particularly to Figures 1 and 3 ofthe drawings. The longitiidinally extending beam provides a means forsupporting the plant engaging units and in the present instance three ofsuch units are provided whereby the machine is adapted to move overthree rows of growing cotton plants. Each of the units comprises a pairof arms 10 and 11 respectively, the upper ends of which are pivotallysupported on the beams 8 as at 12 and the purpose of securing the armsin this manner will hereinafter be more fully described.

The lower ends of the arms 10 and 11 of each unit terminate at a pointadjacent the ground and are disposed rearwardly in a converging manneras illustrated at 13 and 14 respectively for supporting thereon theangularly disposed ground engaging brushes 15 and 16 respectively.Extending forwardly from the upper portions of the arms 10 and 11 ofeach unit and converging gradually toward their outer ends are the upperbrush supporting members 17 and 18 respectively. The brushes 19 and 20secured on the outer ends of the converging supporting members 17 and 18respectively have their bristles facing each other as is is a rearelevation of the same,

clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 4; of

the drawing. Thepurpose of the provision of the brushes as abovedescribed willalso hereinafter be more fully described.

Supported on the arms and 11 of each of the units and directlybelow'th'e upper brushes 19 and 20 are the horizontally extending pans21 and 22 respectively. The pans are adapted to contain an insecticidefor the purpose of exterminating the boll weevils which fall into thepans after the same have beenbrushed from the plants by the upperbrushes 19 and'20.

The adjusting means associated with tl e arms 10 and 11 of each of theunits comprises a pair of links 23 and 24 respectively,

theouter ends being secured to the arms 10 and 11 while the 1nner' endsare connected ,to the lower ends of a suitable operating lever 25, thelatterbeing in turn supported on the longitudinal beam 8 in the manneras clearly illustrated in Flgures 2 and 3.

' By moving'the lever, 25 in one direction,

the arms 10 and llfand the brushes carried thereby as well as the panswill be brought closer together depending upon the size of the plantsover which the boll weevil machine is traveling. By moving the lever 25of each unit in the other direction, the arms are moved away fromeaclrother as is obvious from the construction shown. The pivotalconnection 12 at the upper end of each arm with theilongitudinal beamallows such adjustment.

Extending"horizontally on the opposite sides of each of they arms 1s thecanvascovering 26, any suitable supporting means is provided for holdingthe canvas coverings in proper position on the respective sides of eachofthe units and the purpose of the-canvas covering is well known in theart, a further detailed description thereof is not thought necessary.

On the back of each of the unitsis supported a metallic plate 27, theupper edge thereof beingloosely connected to the rear face of thelongitudinal beam ,8 and the plate 27 extends over the upper portion ofthe arms 10 and 11 directly in the rear of the upper brushes 19 and 20.The purpose of the plate 27 which is associated with each ofv the unitsis to cooperate with the upper brushes inshaking the plants after the;brushes have passed over the same and it being understood of course thatthe plates contact with the plates.

are so arrangedas to move over the plants when the machine is travelingover the rows of growing cotton. If'desired, face of each plate adjacentthe brushes or arms may be -covered'w1tlrst1eky nsecticlde so as to getall of the weevils which may fly and come in The canvas coverings abovedescribed may also be provided on their inner faces insectlclde.

with similar adhesive For the purpose of raising and lowering 1,533 arethe longitudinal beam 8 so that the arms carried thereby will be movedout of engagement with or in engagement with the ground toprovideadjusting levers 28, the same being centrally located onthe axle andbeing connected to the intermediate portion of the longitudinal beam 8by the link 29. It is also to be understood that the lower portion ofthe lever 28 ter ninates in thangularly'dlsposed portion 30 wherebyrais- 111g and lowermgof the longitudinal beam .may be easilyfacilitated.

A seat 31 is supported on the arne by means of the bracket 32 wherebythe open ator may have ready access to the several levers for operatingthe same A foot rest 33 is also associated with the bell weevil machineand any suitable draft appliance may be connected to the machine forconveying the same over the rows of cotton when in operation.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, that a boll weevilmachine has been provided which will eihciently lrnock. .boll weevilsand faulty cotton squares from the growing plants by means of the upperbrushes and the plates 27, the pans disposed below the upper brushesbeing adapted to catch the boll weevils and faulty squares knocked fromthe plants by. the brushes and exterminating the same by means of theinsecticide contained within the pan. The bollweevils and faultycottonsquares which have fa'llen'on the ground will be engaged by the brushes15 and 16 and will be brushed in the middle of the space between therows of growing plants so that the sun will strike the insects andexterminate the same. If desired, a cultivator attachment maybeassociated withthe machine for burying this waste.

While I have shown the preferredembodiment of my'invention, it is to beunderstoodthat various changes in the size, shape and arrangement ofparts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention and the scope of the appended units, insect receiving panssupported on the arms and disposed below the brushes.

2. In a boll weevil machine, a mobile supporting structure, a beamhingedly supported on said supporting structure, means for swinging thebeam and holding it in different adjusted positions, a plant engagingunit including a pair of spaced arms pivotally supported at their upperends on the beam, means for swinging the arms so that their paths ofmovement are at right angles to the path of movement of the beam, clampengaging brushes extending from the arms.

3. In a boll weevil machine, a mobile supporting structure, a beamhingedly mounted thereon, means for swinging the beam and holding it indifferent adjusted positions, a plant engaging unit including a pair ofspaced arms pivotally supported at their upper ends on the beam, plantengaging lu-nshes mounted on the arms, a pair of links one pivotallyconnected to each arm, and a lever slidably mounted on the beam andengaged with the links, whereby the arms may be swung so as to move thebrushes toward or away from each other.

4. In a bell weevil machine, a mobile supporting structure, a beamextending longitudinally of the machine and hinged therebelow, means forswinging the beam and holding it in different adjusted positions, aplant engaging unit including a pair of spaced arms pivotally supportedat their upper ends on the beam, means for swinging the arms toward andaway from each other and holding them in different adjusted. positions,and plant engaging brushes extending from the arms.

In testimony whereof I ali'ix my signature.

J. M. SANCH EZ.

